اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Living, the Sustainer of all. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Allahu la ilaha illa huwal-Hayyul-Qayyum. La ta'khudhuhu sinatun wa la nawm. Lahu ma fis-samawati wa ma fil-ard. Man dhal-ladhi yashfa'u 'indahu illa bi-idhnihi. Ya'lamu ma bayna aydihim wa ma khalfahum. Wa la yuhituna bi shay'im-min 'ilmihi illa bima sha'. Wasi'a kursiyyuhus-samawati wal-ard. Wa la ya'uduhu hifdhuhuma. Wa huwal-'Aliyyul-'Adhim.
When to Read
This is not a dua in the traditional sense of a supplication, but rather a verse of immense power and protection. It is highly recommended to recite Ayat al-Kursi once after every obligatory prayer, and also once in the morning and once in the evening. Reciting it before sleeping is also a powerful act of seeking Allah's protection throughout the night.
How to Read
Recite it with sincerity and full concentration, reflecting on the meaning of each word. Ensure you pronounce the Arabic clearly and correctly. It is often recited as part of the evening supplications (Adhkar al- المساء).
Virtues & Benefits
The recitation of Ayat al-Kursi offers profound protection. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'Whoever recites Ayat al-Kursi at night, there will be a guardian from Allah for him, and Satan will not come near him until morning.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 5010 - narration about a dream, context is protection). Another narration states: 'Whoever recites it when he lies down to sleep, Allah appoints a guard for him who does not let Satan approach him until he wakes up.' (Sahih al-Bukhari 2311). It is also known to be the greatest verse in the Quran.
Source & Authentication
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Verily, everything has its 'Arus (a glorious thing), and the 'Arus of the Qur'an is Ayat al-Kursi." (Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2879 - Hasan Ghareeb). Narrated Abu Huraira: If you recite Ayat al-Kursi and the verses of 'Qul Huwallahu Ahad' (Surah Al-Ikhlas) in the morning and the evening, they will protect you from evil. (Reported by Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak and graded Sahih).